Solids, Liquids, Gases, and Plasma

Explore physics in this early introduction to the states of matter, starring a goofy dog and his all-too-human family.

Zippy art and clear explanations introduce the basic characteristics of four states of matter and how they change from one state to another. Totally up-to-date, this book for elementary school children includes plasma, now covered in all curricula.

Straightforward text presents the facts and Raff’s infographic illustrations demonstrate the science and tell a humorous story. There are hands-on activities, such as using a chocolate bar to demonstrate material consistency and using a balloon to prove gases have weight, to reinforce the learning. A glossary defines density, plasma, vapor, and more essential terms.

David A. Adler is a former math teacher and author of more than two hundred books for children. He has collaborated on several science picture books with Anna Raff, including Light Waves and Magnets Push, Magnets Pull, both named finalists for the AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books. He is also the author of the Picture Book Biography series and the Cam Jansen mystery series. He lives in New York.

Anna Raff is an award-winning illustrator of children’s books. She illustrated David A. Adler’s Simple Machines and Things That Float and Things That Don’t, which received starred reviews from Booklist and Publishers Weekly. She lives in New York City.